Tiger tennis teams tripped up by region foe Seward

In a battle of top-five nationally ranked teams, the top-ranked Cowley College men's tennis team and No. 5-ranked Lady Tigers were upended by a pair of talented Seward County squads Sunday in Arkansas City.

"It was a tough day for the Tigers," Cowley head coach Manuel Raga said. "I felt we did not play with the energy and intensity required to beat a top team like Seward. They are very tough and simply wanted it more than we did."

The Tiger men, who were ranked No. 1 entering Sunday's match, took on a Seward squad ranked third nationally. Cowley got a thrilling 9-8 win from its No. 1 doubles team of Taiyo Hirano and Aymeric Bruno, but lost at No. 2 doubles before dropping a hard-fought match at No. 3 doubles as they found themselves down 2-1 after doubles play.

Cowley would get singles wins from Boruch Skierkier and Andoni Garmendia, but that would be all in the 6-3 loss. Takeshi Taco, the defending national champion at No. 2 singles, suffered his first defeat of the season as he lost in three sets.

The Lady Tigers, ranked fourth nationally, took on a Lady Saints' team ranked right behind them at fifth in the nation. After dropping three close doubles matches, the Lady Tigers could not recover in the 7-2 defeat.

Cowley's singles wins came from Mariia Koroleva and Camila Neyra. Koroleva won 6-3, 6-0, while Neyra won 6-0, 6-0.

The Tiger tennis teams will play at Collin County Thursday at 3 p.m. in McKinney, TX, before taking part in the Southwest JUCO Tournament Friday and Saturday in Plano, TX. The Collin men are currently ranked fifth nationally, while the Collin women are ranked eighth.

"I see this as a little setback for a major comeback," Raga said. "We are back on the court on Thursday against Collin and then Friday and Saturday we have a big tournament in which we will most likely face Seward again so we will be prepared for that."

Results:

MEN

SINGLES 

*No. 1 - Takeshi Taco (CC) lost to Fisicaro 7-5,1-6,6-4.

*No. 2 – Boruch Skierkier (CC) defeated Quaynor 7-6(5), 6-4.

*No. 3 – Gaston Erhardt (CC) lost to Savary 6-0,6-2.

*No. 4 – Harry Collins (CC) lost to Gonzalez 6-1,6-3.

*No. 5 – Andoni Garmendia (CC) defeated Krolo 6-2,6-1. 

*No. 6 – Taiyo Hirano (CC) lost to Abamu 6-4,6-4.

DOUBLES

*No. 1 - Hirano & Bruno (CC) defeated Fisicaro & Krolo 9-8(4).

*No. 2 - Skierkier & Erhardt (CC) lost to Quaynor & Savary 8-3.

*No. 3 - Garmendia & Taco (CC) lost to Gonzalez & Vecchia 9-8 (1).

WOMEN

SINGLES

*No. 1 - Isid Hernandez (CC) lost to Lespes 6-3,6-1.

*No. 2 - Ntokozo Zungu (CC) lost to Mora 6-4,6-4.

*No. 3 - Saara Kunakunova (CC) lost to Belberka 6-4, 0-6, 7-5.

*No. 4 - Mariia Koroleva (CC) defeated Popluharova 6-3, 6-0. 

*No. 5 - Camila Neyra (CC) defeated Sandoval 6-0, 6-0.

*No. 6 - Lia Sarjveladze (CC) lost to Llorens 6-1, 6-1.

DOUBLES

*No. 1 - Hernandez & Zungu (CC) lost to Lespes & Belberka 9-8 (4).

*No. 2 - Neyra & Koroleva (CC) lost to Mora & Popluharova 9-7.

*No. 3 - Sarjveladze & Kunakunova (CC) lost to Sandoval & Llorens 8-5.